


The Other Side

by randomwriter57



Series: Reigisa Week 2016 [3]
Category: Free!
Genre: Epistolary, Light Angst, M/M, Unrequited Crush, i guess??, in the form of chat logs this time, the title did not come from adele's 'hello' but that song really fits this fic omg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-12
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-05-13 12:11:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5707606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomwriter57/pseuds/randomwriter57
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nagisa hasn’t received an email from Rei in over a month, and he’s beginning to worry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Other Side

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Email Log](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3204866) by [randomwriter57](https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomwriter57/pseuds/randomwriter57). 



> Yes, I wrote another part to The Email Log. Am I ashamed? No. This is all I could think of when I looked at the prompt, so I had to write it. This fic can probably stand alone, so you can read this before TEL, though I’d recommend reading it between chapters two and three of TEL for full context.
> 
> Written for [Reigisa Week](http://reigisaweek.tumblr.com) #3, Day Three: "I don't want to give up!"

2016/10/17

20:52

Hazuki Nagisa: mako-chan

21:01

Hazuki Nagisa: mako-chaaaannnnnnnn

21:09

Hazuki Nagisa: mako-chan hurry up i need to talk to you

Hazuki Nagisa: it’s importantttt

21:15

Tachibana Makoto: Aah, sorry, Nagisa! I only just got home, I was out with some friends.

Tachibana Makoto: What’s up?

Hazuki Nagisa: it’s fine you’re here now!!

Hazuki Nagisa: anyway i need to ask you a thing

Tachibana Makoto: Go ahead!

Hazuki Nagisa: has rei-chan contacted you any time recently???

Tachibana Makoto: No, he hasn’t actually. The last email I got from him was a few weeks ago.

Hazuki Nagisa: !!!

Tachibana Makoto: Why are you asking? Is something wrong?

Hazuki Nagisa: he hasn’t emailed me in over a month and i’m getting worried

Hazuki Naigsa: do you think something happened??????

Tachibana Makoto: Calm down, Nagisa. I’m sure he’s just got a lot on his plate at the moment. University is difficult, and Rei’s doing a pretty advanced course. He probably just has a lot of work to do.

Hazuki Nagisa: aaah i guess you’re right

Hazuki Nagisa: he’ll probably email soon with loads of apologies and stuff

Tachibana Makoto: He probably will. Don’t worry too much about it, okay? And if you need to talk about anything, all you need to do is shoot me a message.

Hazuki Nagisa: okay

Hazuki Nagisa: thanks mako-chan, you’re the best!!

 

 

* * *

 

 

2015/10/26

20:32

Tachibana Makoto: Hey, Nagisa. How are you holding up?

Hazuki Nagisa: i’m okay.

Tachibana Makoto: Are you sure? I mean, that’s a harsh piece of information to hear over facebook instead of from Rei himself. I know you two are close, after all.

Hazuki Nagisa: i’m kind of sad, i guess. it would have been nice for him to message.

Tachibana Makoto: Sorry for bringing it up.

Hazuki Nagisa: it’s fine!! it’s just

Hazuki Nagisa: you know how i feel about rei-chan

Tachibana Makoto: That’s why I messaged you.

Hazuki Nagisa: i know

Hazuki Nagisa: i’ll be fine tho!! if rei-chan’s happy, then that’s good enough for me

Tachibana Makoto: That’s a good mentality to have. Just try to keep your head up.

Hazuki Nagisa: kk. thanks mako-chan

Tachibana Makoto: It’s no problem!

 

 

* * *

 

 

2015/12/14

21:12

Hazuki Nagisa: mako-channnnn

Tachibana Makoto: Hi, Nagisa.

Hazuki Nagisa: rei-chan still hasn’t emailed me back

Tachibana Makoto: Still? It’s been three months, right?

Hazuki Nagisa: yeah

Hazuki Nagisa: if he changed his email he’d tell me, right??

Tachibana Makoto: He would. Actually, I haven’t seen him recently, either. He always looks busy when I see him around at university.

Hazuki Nagisa: something must be up

Tachibana Makoto: I’ve been thinking the same thing. Do you think it’s because of his girlfriend?

Hazuki Nagisa: nah rei-chan wouldn’t ditch his friends for

Hazuki Nagisa: wait

Hazuki Nagisa: oh god this is like second-year all over again

Tachibana Makoto: You mean when we all thought he was going to quit swimming?

Hazuki Nagisa: that too but also after that when we thought he had a gf

Hazuki Nagisa: you said rei-chan might be the type to get so obsessed with his gf that he would blow off swim practice

Tachibana Makoto: That was just a guess! Anyway, we were wrong about him having a girlfriend in the end, anyway.

Tachibana Makoto: Actually, that makes me wonder… What made him change his mind? Didn’t he say something about love being illogical?

Hazuki Nagisa: yeah he did

Hazuki Nagisa: thAT’S WHY THIS IS BAD

Hazuki Nagisa: MAYBE HE’S TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR ALL THE LOST TIME OF NOT BEING IN LOVE

Tachibana Makoto: Somehow I don’t think that’s the case.

Tachibana Makoto: In any case, if I see him around I’ll try to ask him about it, okay?

Hazuki Nagisa: MAKO-CHAN YOU’RE A LIFESAVER THANK YOU

Tachibana Makoto: Remember to turn your caps lock back off.

Tachibana Makoto: And don’t worry about it. I’m starting to worry a little too, so it’s best for all of us if I talk to Rei about it.

Hazuki Nagisa: thank you!!!!!!

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

2016/12/20

21:32

Tachibana Makoto: Are you there, Nagisa?

Hazuki Nagisa: yo!! what’s up mako-chan??

Tachibana Makoto: I talked to Rei today.

Hazuki Nagisa: !!!

Hazuki Nagisa: omg what did he say

Tachibana Makoto: Now before you get your hopes up I didn’t have long to speak to him because he had a class soon and he looked really tired, so I didn’t want to push the subject. Basically, I asked him how he was doing recently, since I hadn’t heard from him in a while. He apologised and gave a vague answer along the lines of “I’ve been really busy.” I told him it would be nice to hear from him more often, because “we miss talking to you.” He apologised again and said he’d try to message me at some point, but he might not get the chance. I just hope he got the hint about messaging you as well.

Hazuki Nagisa: that sounds suspicious

Hazuki Nagisa: he can’t have that much homework right????

Tachibana Makoto: He probably studies all of his material the night after the lecture as well.

Tachibana Makoto: Ah, hold on, I’m getting a message.

Tachibana Makoto: IT’S FROM REI.

Hazuki Nagisa: !!!!!

Hazuki Nagisa: tell me what he says????

Tachibana Makoto: So far he’s only apologising again and asking how I’ve been. I’ll let you know when he says something important.

Hazuki Nagisa: okay

21:53

Hazuki Nagisa: mako-chan???

Tachibana Makoto: Ah, sorry, Nagisa. I don’t think he’s said anything important yet.

Hazuki Nagisa: this might be a little rude but can you send me a screenshot of the convo when you’re done??? i need to get some food

Tachibana Makoto: Of course, Nagisa. This involves you as well, so I’ll send you it when we’re finished talking.

Hazuki Nagisa: thanks!!

22:14

Tachibana Makoto _sent a picture._

 

 

* * *

 

 

21:35

Ryugazaki Rei: Hello, Makoto-senpai.

Tachibana Makoto: Hi, Rei! It’s good to see you online again.

Ryugazaki Rei: It’s good to see you too, Makoto-senpai. I feel as though we haven’t spoken in a while, even though we spoke only this afternoon.

Tachibana Makoto: Yes, it’s the same for me! So, how have you been? You seem really busy.

Ryugazaki Rei: I apologise for that. My classes have been intense in handing out a lot of homework, and I need to study the notes regularly on top of those. I apologise for not messaging you in a while. It’s mostly due to that.

Ryugazaki Rei: How have you been?

Tachibana Makoto: Don’t worry about it! I understand completely. And I’ve been good! It’s a little busy on our end too, what with preparations for finals soon. Even Haru’s having a tough time because of it.

Ryugazaki Rei: It seems it’s the same for all university students. I’m sure you’ll do perfectly well in your finals, Makoto-senpai.

Tachibana Makoto: Thanks!

Tachibana Makoto: Also, I hear you have a girlfriend now?

Ryugazaki Rei: Ah, yes. Kaiya-san and I have been dating for two months, now.

Tachibana Makoto: Aw, that’s nice! How did you meet?

Ryugazaki Rei: Kaiya-san is in one of the same lectures as me, and one day gave me a note asking me to meet her in the library, where she confessed to me. Obviously, I accepted.

Tachibana Makoto: That’s great. You seem pretty happy when I see you together. I’m glad.

Ryugazaki Rei: Yes, we are happy together.

Tachibana Makoto: Just remember not to focus too hard on studying and your girlfriend! You have other friends too. We get worried when you we don’t hear from you, you know?

Ryugazaki Rei: I know. I apologise again.

Ryugazaki Rei: Sorry, I have to go now. It was good to speak to you.

Tachibana Makoto: And the same to you. I hope we can talk again soon. Don’t stress yourself out too much.

Ryugazaki Rei: Thank you. I’ll speak to you later.

Tachibana Makoto: Bye!

 

 

* * *

 

 

22:19

Hazuki Nagisa: that is so suspicious

Hazuki Nagisa: something is definitely up with rei-chan

Tachibana Makoto: Are you sure? I mean, it definitely seemed like he was hiding some of the truth, but shouldn’t we give him the benefit of the doubt?

Hazuki Nagisa: listen mako-chan

Hazuki Nagisa: as much as i want to do that

Hazuki Nagisa: i can’t see any reason why rei-chan is so busy that he hasn’t even messaged you or haru-chan about this stuff

Hazuki Nagisa: he obviously didn’t tell you he had a gf

Tachibana Makoto: That might be the case, but maybe he was actually too busy.

Hazuki Nagisa: mako-chan

Hazuki Nagisa: i know you’ve never done this before but try changing your relationship status

Tachibana Makoto: I’m not in a relationship though?

Hazuki Nagisa: well don’t actually change it, just go to the page where you change it

Tachibana Makoto: Okay, hold on.

Tachibana Makoto: I’m at the page.

Hazuki Nagisa: that took you a couple minutes

Tachibana Makoto: I’m not the best with things like this, Nagisa.

Hazuki Nagisa: i know neither is rei-chan and that’s my point

Hazuki Nagisa: if rei-chan can go through all that effort to change his relationship status, why can’t he send a quick message to say he’s in a relationship???

Hazuki Nagisa: it doesn’t even take a minute to send a fb message

Hazuki Nagisa: even email doesn’t take that long

Tachibana Makoto: I see where you’re coming from.

Tachibana Makoto: So you think Rei was lying?

Hazuki Nagisa: yes

Hazuki Nagisa: i’m worried about him, mako-chan

Tachibana Makoto: Don’t worry. Hopefully he’ll message you soon, otherwise I’ll talk to him head-on about this, okay?

Hazuki Nagisa: okay. thanks mako-chan

 

 

* * *

 

 

2017/01/01

20:21

Hazuki Nagisa: happy new year mako-chan!!!!

Tachibana Makoto: Happy New Year to you too, Nagisa!

Hazuki Nagisa: i hope this year is really good

Hazuki Nagisa: like really really good

Tachibana Makoto: I think we all do. Let’s enjoy ourselves this year too!

Hazuki Nagisa: yay!!!

Hazuki Nagisa: btw, did you see rei-chan’s status???

Tachibana Makoto: Yeah. What do you think happened?

Hazuki Nagisa: idk, he’s not answering any of the comments or the email i sent him

Tachibana Makoto: I guess it didn’t end too well, then.

Hazuki Nagisa: do you think rei-chan got dumped???

Hazuki Nagisa: i hope he’s not too down about it ;o;

Tachibana Makoto: I’m sure he’s not feeling too good about it, no matter who dumped who. Breakups are usually hard to go through.

Hazuki Nagisa: ??? is there something you’re not telling me

Tachibana Makoto: No! I swear, Nagisa, you’re one of the first people I would tell if I got together with someone.

Hazuki Nagisa: am i first or second on that list???

Hazuki Nagisa: bc either rin-chan is above me or you’d tell me before him

Hazuki Nagisa: and i think haru-chan would already know ;)

Tachibana Makoto: Nagisa!!

Tachibana Makoto: Anyway, give Rei some time to think over it before you expect a reply. He’ll have a lot to think about at the moment.

Hazuki Nagisa: i know, i know

 

 

* * *

 

 

2017/02/13

21:07

Hazuki Nagisa: this is it

Hazuki Nagisa: it’s officially been five months since we last talked

Hazuki Nagisa: he’s never answering, is he?

Tachibana Makoto: Has he still not answered your email from last month?

Hazuki Nagisa: does rei-chan hate me, mako-chan?

Tachibana Makoto: Of course not! I don’t think Rei could ever hate you.

Hazuki Nagisa: he messages you, doesn’t he??

Tachibana Makoto: Well, yes, but that doesn’t mean he hates you.

Hazuki Nagisa: then why is he messaging you but not me???

Tachibana Makoto: I honestly don’t know, Nagisa.

Hazuki Nagisa: you’d think he’d have more time on his hands now bc he hasn’t got a gf anymore

Hazuki Nagisa: but he still hasn’t responded to my emails???

Hazuki Nagisa: i tried to call him too, but he didn’t pick up

Hazuki Nagisa: i’m really worried mako-chan

Hazuki Nagisa: i think he actually hates me

Tachibana Makoto: Nagisa. Calm down. Breathe. Do you need me to video call you?

Hazuki Nagisa: yes please

 

...

 

_Incoming call from Tachibana Makoto._

_Call Accepted._

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Mako-chan?” Nagisa feels his voice tremble as he speaks. His eyes sting, but he ignores them. Makoto won’t mind if he cries.

Makoto’s face fills the screen, concern creasing his brows. “I’m here, Nagisa.”

His throat clogs with unsung sobs, and he tries to repress them. “Mako-chan…”

“Calm down. Breathe with me, okay?”

They spend a minute breathing together, in and out, with a short delay due to distance. Nagisa has to admit, Makoto knows how to calm him down.

“Do you want to talk about this?” Makoto says, careful not to say anything which could upset him. “If you just want company, I don’t mind sitting up with you.”

For a second, Nagisa thinks about leaving his problems to the side and forgetting them, but then he shakes his head. He can’t run away. Not from Rei. “No, I want to talk about it.”

Makoto nods. “Okay. Tell me what’s going through your head.”

Even though he’s an open person, Nagisa doesn’t spend a lot of time talking about his own thoughts and feelings. It’s an old habit he’s stuck with, one he’d hoped to get rid of in his second year, but he’d been unsuccessful. “I’m just worried. Rei-chan hasn’t messaged me back in so long. Did I say something wrong? Did I mess up? I can’t remember saying anything hurtful, but what if I said something that made him hate me?”

“I doubt you did that,” Makoto says. “Rei’s the type of person who would message you scolding you for saying anything like that. Besides, you’re not a malevolent person. You’d never do that on purpose.”

“But I obviously did something wrong. He’d be talking to me again otherwise, right? Maybe he just got tired of me.”

“Nagisa, that could never happen.”

“Maybe it can.”

There is silence for a moment before Makoto sighs. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

Nagisa looks back up at the screen into Makoto’s eyes. The seriousness within them startles him. “I don’t know,” he says truthfully. “I guess there’s no point in me messaging him if he doesn’t want to speak.”

“You’re not going to message him anymore?”

“He probably deletes the messages as soon as he receives them, anyway.”

Makoto gives him a hard stare. “I thought we got past this. I don’t mean to sound like I’m lecturing you, but you’re just running away from your problems. If you don’t speak to Rei about this, then you’ll never sort it out.”

“But he isn’t speaking to me-”

“Then say something that will make him speak to you.” Makoto looks a little pained, and Nagisa wonders if this topic is close to home for him. “You love him, don’t you?”

Nagisa stares at the screen for a moment, then nods, looking down. “I do. I have for a long time.”

“Then why are you giving up like this?”

The words sting at Nagisa’s heart, and he remembers hearing those words from the mouth of the person he misses the most. He wonders if Makoto remembers that conversation. “I’m not.”

“It sounds like you are. Saying you won’t speak to him anymore. That sounds like you’re giving up the hope of ever getting a reply.”

“But he probably won’t reply-”

“He definitely won’t reply if you don’t send him a message in the first place.”

Nagisa feels his throat becoming scratchy and tries not to let his tears flow. He knows that Makoto is right, but it’s difficult to imagine Rei messaging him back at this point. It feels as though his hope has already been lost.

“What was it that Rei said a couple of years ago?” Makoto says. “’I think you’re a person who doesn’t give up’, right?”

Nagisa nods silently.

“When Rei said that, he really meant it, and I agree with him. You aren’t the type of person to give up, Nagisa. Don’t start now.”

His heart feels as though it’s going to burst at this point. No longer holding back, Nagisa allows the tears to fall down his cheeks, filling his eyes and making his skin red and splotchy. “I don’t want to give up,” he says through his sobs. He feels like he’s back in second year again, at a point where only his friends can make him feel as though there’s something he can do to avoid the worst happening.

Makoto smiles gently. “Then don’t. Message him again. I’ll make Rei reply if I need to, but I’m sure he’ll reply to you on his own.”

Nagisa nods, his body shaking with sobs. Over the next couple of minutes, Makoto tries to calm him down from the other side of the screen, and eventually his breathing returns to normal. When it does, he gives Makoto a weak smile.

“I’m going to message Rei-chan.”

“Good. I’m sure everything will turn out alright.”

“Thank you, Mako-chan.”

Makoto shakes his head. “It’s nothing. I’m your friend, I’ll always be here to help you.”

“Okay.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Two days later, Makoto’s mobile rings. He’s in the middle of eating dinner (mackerel curry and rice), but Haru doesn’t mind, so he takes the call.

“Hello?” he says.

All he can hear on the other end of the line is sobbing. He furrows his brows and looks at the caller ID.

“Nagisa? Are you alright?” he says into the phone.

Sobbing. Then, two words, quietly said between sobs, over and over again. “Rei-chan…”

His heart drops. Oh god.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me at [randomactuallywrites-57](http://randomactuallywrites-57.tumblr.com) on tumblr | [randomwriter57](http://twitter.com/randomwriter57) on twitter!


End file.
